Research blender

ABSTRACT

A blender particularly adapted for conducting experiments in blending particulate materials, wherein the blender includes an axially shallow drum-like container formed of a transparent material. The container is mounted for adjustable swinging movement between substantially horizontal loading-unloading and substantially vertical blending positions. The container and an internal agitating device therefor are independently supported for rotation about a common drive axis; the container being further attitude-adjustable relative to the drive axis to provide for both axial and radial blending performance observations.

United States Patent Fischer et al.

[151 3,685,805 [451 Aug. 22, 1972 [541 RESEARCH BLENDER [72] Inventors:John J. Fischer; John W. Sibley,

' both of East Stroudsburg, Pa.

73 Assignee: The Patterson-Kelley Co., Inc., East Stroudsburg, Pa.

[22 Filed: April 7, 1971 21 Appl.No.: 132,116

52 us. Cl ..259/851 [51] Int. Cl. ..B0li 9/08 [58] Field of Search..259/81, 84, 85, 89, 82, 83, 259/90, 75, 78, 3, 14, 15, 16, 30, 31, 32,33,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,841,370 7/1958 Cosmetto..259/89 3,208,593 9/1965 Dietert ..259/ 81 R Opie ..259/81' R Evans..259/85 Primary Examiner-Robert W; Jenkins Att0rneyBean & Bean 7]ABSTRACT A blender particularly adapted-for conducting experiments inblending particulate materials, wherein the blender includes an axiallyshallow drum-like con-, tainer formed of a transparent material. Thecontainer is mounted for adjustable swinging movement betweensubstantially horizontal loading-unloading and substantially verticalblending positions. The container and an internal agitating devicetherefor are independently supported for rotation about a common driveaxis; the container being furtherattitude-adjustable relative to thedrive axis to provide for both axial and radial blending performanceobservations.

7 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEDwszz m2 SHEET 1 BF 2 @m fiw ATTORNEYS PATENTEDMMZ I972 v 3.685.805

I sum 2 BF 2 40 I4 36 I8 38 r7 77"7/ INVEN'IORS JOHN J. F/S CHER JOHN WS/QLEY ATTORNEYS RESEARCH BLENDER SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The presentinvention is particularly directed to a research blender permittingvisual observation and study of the mechanics of blending.

The present blender is in the form of a compact, selfcontained andinexpensive unit, which is readily adjustable to provide for absolutecontrol over the primary blending mechanisms to be observed, as well asto permit investigation of of the effects on the blending mechanisms ofinternally induced agitations, liquidsolids contact and drying.Moreover, the present blender permits accurate control of thepositioning of material within the blending container prior to blendingand the removal of samples of the blended material without disturbingadjacent areas thereof.

More specifically, the blender of the present invention features anaxially shallow drum-like blending container having one end cover or topremovable to afford access to substantially the entire blending area.The blending container is supported by joining its closed end cover to adrive shaft, which is in turn tiltable to orient the axis of theblending container selectively in either a substantially horizontalblending position or vertical filling-sample extracting position. Atleast the removable end cover of the blending container and preferablythe entire container is formed of a transparent material in order topennit visual observation or photographic study of the various blendingoperations to be performed.

In a preferred form of the invention, an agitating or agitating-liquiddispersion head is supported for independent driven rotation within theblending container by a drive shaft mounted concentrically within thecontainer drive shaft. In an alternative form of the invention, theeffects of drying and/or gas contact in the blending operation may beobserved by re-placing the agitating device with a gas-vacuum treatingdevice contoured so as to introduce minimum turbulence within thematerial being blended.

By means of the present invention, there is provided a convenientexperimental blender, which permits an observer to visually study allaspects of blending phenomena within a short period of time and with theuse of only relatively small quantities of materials to be blended.

DRAWINGS The nature and mode of the present invention will now be morefully described in the following detailed description taken with theaccompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the blender of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the blender shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the blender shown in FIG.'l; and

FIGS. 4A-4C are sectional views taken generally along line 4--4 of FIG.1 and showing alternative blending arrangements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION A preferred form of the blender of the presentinvention is generally designated as 10 in FIGS. 1-3 and shown asincluding a support assembly 12, which serves to mount a blendingcontainer 14 and associated drive 16; an agitating device 18 andassociated drive 20; and a control console 22. I

Support assembly 12 is best shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 as including agenerally U-shaped stand 24 and an inverted generally U-shapedsupporting bracket 26; the

lapping leg portions of stand 24 and bracket 26 being pivotallyconnected by axially aligned pivot shafts 28 and 29. As will be apparentfrom viewing FIG. 3, bracket 26 may be manually rotated relative tostand 24 about a horizontal axis defined by pivot shafts 28 and 29 andbe releasably, and frictionally locked in a desired position byoperation of a knob 32, having a shaft, not shown, which is threadableinto the stand and slid'eably received within an arcuate slot 34provided in the bracket.

Blending container 14 is shown in the drawings as being in the form ofan axially shallow, drum-like container having a main or body portion 36and a removably mounted end portion or top 38. While containers having adiameter of about 6 inches and an axial thickness or depth of about I V;inches have been used with success, it is anticipated that containers ofvarying dimensions may be employed providing that the diameter ismaintained substantially larger. than the axial length. Also, while top38 is shown as including an annular flange portion 40 for the purpose ofpermitting the top to be slip-friction fitted onto body portion 36, itwill be understood that any other suitable mounting or attachingarrangement may be employed. Preferably, all of container 14 is formedof a transparent plastic material, thereby to permit visual and/orphotographic observation of blending phenomena occurring therewithin.

Container drive 16 is shown in FIGS. 1-4A as including a drive shaft 50,which is journaled within bearing supports 52 and 5.4; a shaft mountedpulley 56; an electric motor 58 including a drive pulley 60; and aflexible drive 62 for drivingly connecting pulleys 56 and 60. Bearingsupports 52 and 54, as well as motor 58, are rigidly affixed formovement with supporting bracket connecting plate portion 26.

Drive shaft 50 is suitably fixed to container 14, as by the provision ofa set screw 64 carried by a mounted hub 66, which is in turn suitablyaffixed, as by adhesive bonding, to container body end portion 68. Bothhub 66 and end portion 68 are shown in FIG. 4A as being provided with anaxially extending stepped through bore opening 70 for the purpose ofaccommodating blending-treating attachments to be hereinafter describedand associated shaft sealing glands 72. However, it will be understoodthat only hub 66 need be provided with a bore opening to accommodatedrive shaft 50, when none of the several attachments are to be employedduring any particular blending experiment.

In its preferred form, agitating devicel8 includes a pair of plateportions and 82, which are clampingly secured together by bolt fastenerdevices 84, the latter, if desired, additionally serving to mountgenerally L- shaped agitating blades or fingers 86. Agitating device 18may also be employed as a liquid dispersion head. To this end,-plates 80and 82 cooperate to define a liquid reservoir or cavity 88, and suitablespacers, not shown, are arranged between abutting surfaces of the platesso as to define an annularly extending liquid discharge slot 90. As willbe apparent, the amount of liquid discharged radially through slot 90will depend primarily upon the width of the slot and the rotationalspeedofdevice 18, r v

Desired rotations may be imparted to device 18 by drive 20; whichincludes a hollow drive shaft 92, suitably afi'ixed to plate portion82'and supported concentrically within container drive shaft 50 bysleeve 'bearing'94; a shaft mounted pulley 96; an electric motor 98having a drive pulley 100; and a flexible drive belt 102 for drivinglyconnecting pulleys 96 and 100.

Y Motor 98 is, as best shown in FIG. 1, fixedly carried f Q {beneathconnecting plate portion 26'.

j It will be understood that the direction of rotation of I device 18and/or its speed of rotation relative to con- 'tainer 14 may be varieddepending upon the blending experiment being performed. To this end,control console 22 is provided with knobs 104 and 106 for the purpose ofadjustably controlling energization of motors 98 and 58, respectively.

Liquid to be dispersed within container 14 by operationtof device 18 maybe fed through drive shaft 92.

However, in that such an arrangement would require the provision of arotary union, it is preferable to prol 4A and 4B require that twoseparate blendingcon- In this arrangement, the axis of blendingcontainer I4 is arranged at an acute angle relative to the rotationalaxis of drive shaft 50, such angle corresponding to substantiallyone-half of the acute angle a which is formed by one of the containerend portions, such as cover 38,

and a line 109 drawn diagonally between comers of a rectangle formed bytaking an axially extending sectional viewof the blending chamber, suchas is viewed in FIG. 4B. The mounting of blendingcontainer 14- in thismanner may be achieved by forming the forwardly facing surface of hub66, such that it lies within a plane making an angle of 01/2 with therotational axis drive shaft 50. While theconstructions illustrated inFIGS.

tainers be provided, it will be apparent that onlya single containerneed be employed if hub 66 were to be formed with a pair of cooperatingcam or wedge plates,

. which are relatively rotatable about the axis of drive vide'astationary liquid feed tube 108, which is arranged concentrically withindrive shaft 92 and fluid sealed relative thereto by suitable shaft sealdevices, not shown. When employing this latter construction, a flexibletube, also not shown, would be attached to the outwardly extending 'end'of tube 104 in order to facilitate pivotal movements of bracket 26relative to t d. 2 y

In the construction thus far described, material may be loaded into orunloaded from container 14 by rotating bracket 26 to position thecontainer in its phantom line position shown in FIG. 3, and removing top40. In this position, the rotationalaxes of container 14 and drive shaft50 are in alignment and substantially vertically disposed. Sincecontainer 14 is axially shallow and the removal of top 40 completelyexposes the full crosssection of the blending chamber, differentmaterials to be blended may be accurately positioned within the chamberas desired. For example, materials may be placed in layers for thepurpose of examining axial blending phenomena, that is, movement ormigrations of materials axially of the blending chamber; and/or indifferent radial quadrants of the chamber for the purpose of examiningthe radial blending phenomena, that is, movements or migrations ofmaterials radially of the shaft 50 for the purpose of varying theinclination of the axis of container 14 relative thereto. l

FIG. 4C shows a gas treating device 110, which may be employed in placeof agitating device 18. Device 110 includes a pair of plate portions 112and 114, which are clampingly secured together .by screw devices 116,and cooperate to form an open ended cavity 118. Cavity 118 may be closedby screen plate 120, which additionally serves to support a tube 122arranged concentrically inwardly of device mounting shaft 124. In thearrangement shown, a treating gm or air may be introduced into container14 via tube 122 and such gases and/or vapors subsequently exhaustedthrough screen plate 120 and a passageway 126 defined by tube 122 andshaft 124. As will be apparent, shaft 124 may or may not be rotateddepending upon the treating process to be .performed. Plate portions 112and 114 are shown as being smoothly contoured in order to subject thematerial to be blended to minimum. perturbations. However, it will beunderstood that, if desired, material agitations may be maximized duringa gas treating operation by employing agitating blades of the typediscussed with reference to device 18 and providing for poweredrotations of shafi 124.

If it is desired to observe blending phenomena without the use ofdevices 18 and 110, the latter may be removed by first removing pulley96 and top 38 and thereafter pulling device 18 or 110 and itsshaft 92 or124 outwardly through the blending jchamber. If

commercial blending operations by merely scaling-up the blendingcontainer and the associated elements heretofore described. In thisrespect, experiments with a laboratory sized unit indicated that vastlyimproved axial blending efficiencies may be achieved as compared topresent commercial apparatus by utilizing an axially shallow blendingcontainer tilted in the manner suggested in FIG. 4B.

I claim: 1. A blending apparatus comprising in combination: a blendingcontainer defining a generally cylindrical blending chamber havingopposing end portions, at least one of said end portions being removableto permit blending material loading-unloading access to said chamber,said blending chamber being characterized as having a diametersubstantially greater than an axial dimension measured between said endportions;

means for supporting said blending container for.

rotation about a first axis arranged to intersect said end portions;driving means for rotating said blending container about said first axisto effect blending of material therewithin; and means mounting saidsupport means for movement about a substantially horizontal axis wherebyto alternately position said first axis in substantially horizontal andsubstantially vertical orientations, said blending container when saidfirst axis is in said horizontal orientation being in a normal blendingposition and when said first axis is in said vertical orientation beingin a normal blending material loading-unloading position. 2. A blendingapparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least said one end portion isformed of a transparent material.

and means to pivotally support said mounting bracket on said supportstand for vertical pivotal movement about said substantiallyhorizontally disposed axis.

5. A blending apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said apparatusadditionally includes in combination an agitating device, a drive shaftjoumaled concentrically inwardly of said blending container drive shaftfor supporting said agitating device within said blender chamber, asecond motor fixed to said mounting bracket, and means connecting saidsecond motor to said agitating device drive shaft.

6. A blending apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said blendingchamber is arranged coaxially with said first axis.

7. A blending apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said axis of saidblending chamber is arranged at an acute angle relative to saidfirstaxis which corresponds to substantially one-half of the acute angleformed by one of said end portions and a line drawn diagonally betweencomers of a rectangle formed by an axial sectional view of said blendingchamber.

1. A blending apparatus comprising in combination: a blending containerdefining a generally cylindrical blending chamber having opposing endportions, at least one of said end portions being removable to permitblending material loadingunloading access to said chamber, said blendingchamber being characterized as having a diameter substantially greaterthan an axial dimension measured between said end portions; means forsupporting said blending container for rotation about a first axisarranged to intersect said end portions; driving means for rotating saidblending container about said first axis to effect blending of materialtherewithin; and means mounting said support means for movement about asubstantially horizontal axis whereby to alternately position said firstaxis in substantially horizontal and substantially verticalorientations, said blending container when said first axis is in saidhorizontal orientation being in a normal blending position and when saidfirst axis is in said vertical orientation being in a normal blendingmaterial loadingunloading position.
 2. A blending apparatus according toclaim 1, wherein at least said one end portion is formed of atransparent material.
 3. A blending apparatus according to claim 1,wherein said blending container is formed substantially of a transparentmaterial.
 4. A blending apparatus according to claim 1, wherein saidsupport means includes a drive shaft coupled to said blending container,a mounting bracket and means for journaling said shaft on said mountingbracket; said drive means includes a first motor mounted on saidmounting bracket and transmission means connecting said motor to saiddrive shaft; anD said support mounting means includes a support standand means to pivotally support said mounting bracket on said supportstand for vertical pivotal movement about said substantiallyhorizontally disposed axis.
 5. A blending apparatus according to claim4, wherein said apparatus additionally includes in combination anagitating device, a drive shaft journaled concentrically inwardly ofsaid blending container drive shaft for supporting said agitating devicewithin said blender chamber, a second motor fixed to said mountingbracket, and means connecting said second motor to said agitating devicedrive shaft.
 6. A blending apparatus according to claim 1, wherein saidblending chamber is arranged co-axially with said first axis.
 7. Ablending apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said axis of saidblending chamber is arranged at an acute angle relative to said firstaxis which corresponds to substantially one-half of the acute angleformed by one of said end portions and a line drawn diagonally betweencorners of a rectangle formed by an axial sectional view of saidblending chamber.